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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210833">i'll meet you anytime you want (in our italian restaurant)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysgolden/pseuds/alwaysgolden'>alwaysgolden</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, No Smut, and drink some wine, louis and harry are both slightly oblivious in their feelings, slight slow burn, they also eat italian food, this fic is completely self indulgent, very brief mention of jay's passing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:41:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysgolden/pseuds/alwaysgolden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>harry and louis reunite after ten years in their favorite restaurant, reminiscing about the past and revisiting old feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i'll meet you anytime you want (in our italian restaurant)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title is a lyric from 'scenes from an italian restaurant' by billy joel. this fic was very much inspired by the entirety of this song sooo,,,, thank you mr. joel for the inspiration !!</p>
<p>this is my first published work aH!! i'm terrified to post, but i had some encouragement from a few very lovely people to do so :')) it's short, but i hope if you read it you enjoy it !!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Could I interest you in a bottle of white wine? Perhaps a bottle of red?”</p>
<p>Louis is snapped out of his slight daze, looking up at the waitress who holds a notepad and pen in her hands. </p>
<p>“I’m fine for now, thank you.” Louis smiles softly. “Just waiting for someone, who should be here soon.”</p>
<p>“No problem, I’ll come back when they come,” the waitress returns the smile and turns on her heel, leaving Louis to return to his thoughts. </p>
<p>He looks back out the window, eyes searching for a familiar face. Giving up on his search far too quickly, he looks down at his phone on the table. He checks the time, which just turned 6:00, and Louis, like always, is too early. </p>
<p>He looks down at his outfit, quite pleased with the color coordination. He decided to wear a navy button down with small maroon polka dots, sleeves rolled up of course, maroon chinos, and a pair of brown dress shoes. He quickly looks at his reflection in the black screen of his phone, smiling slightly at the cinnamon swirl Lottie helped him with. </p>
<p>The bell on the front door rings, causing Louis to look up quickly. He sees a mop of messy curls and knows immediately it’s his Harry. Well, not his Harry, but it is Harry.</p>
<p>Before he can stop himself, Louis is standing and shouting “Harry!”, causing a few customers in the restaurant to look his way. </p>
<p>Harry’s face lights up in that way it always used to. Bright green eyes shining under the dim lights of the restaurant, cheeks slightly pink, and of course, a very deep dimple prominent on the left side of his face. He’s dressed in a button down black shirt, top few buttons undone, flared white pants, and to tie it all together, sparkly silver boots. </p>
<p>He makes his way over to the table for two, and Louis can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Harry’s smile grows even wider, ignoring the quite noticeable stares from a few people, and immediately he wraps his whole body around Louis. </p>
<p>“Louis,” Harry whispers into the crook of his neck. </p>
<p>Louis lets out a soft chuckle, wrapping his arms tightly around Harry. “It’s been so long.”</p>
<p>“I’ll say,” Harry breathes out, pulling back to look at Louis. His hands rest themselves on Louis’ shoulders, “Look at you, you look fantastic.”</p>
<p>Louis blushes, “Thanks H, I can definitely say the same about you. I love the outfit.”</p>
<p>Harry giggles, and Louis almost melts. He manages to collect himself enough to pull out Harry’s chair like a gentleman. </p>
<p>“Thank you.” Harry says quietly. “We’re at our old table.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Louis smiles, “our table.”</p>
<p>The waitress returns, “Could I interest you in a bottle of wine?”</p>
<p>Louis raises his eyebrows at Harry, who turns to the waitress and asks what their selection of red wine is. Same old Harry, Louis thinks to himself, too distracted by the way Harry’s lips move to actually comprehend what he picks. </p>
<p>The waitress makes note of Harry’s request and leaves the table. </p>
<p>“So,” Louis starts, “how’s life?”</p>
<p>He mentally cringes. The first time he’s seeing the boy who completely changed his life without even knowing it for the first time in nearly ten years, and all he can ask is how life is. </p>
<p>Harry chuckles, “Life is good. My job at the record label is going really well, I love all the people I work with and it’s so much fun getting to have a hand in the music world. Family’s doing pretty good. Mum and Gemma say hi, by the way. They were so excited that I was seeing you, they miss you. How about yourself?”</p>
<p>“Aww Anne and Gems, I miss them. Tell them hi back. As for work, I love teaching. Every school year brings a whole new bunch of great kids to teach. I love watching their personalities grow over the year. Family is doing alright, a bit of a rough time a few years back with Mum’s passing, but I’ve been helping out a lot with the kids, they’ve all grown so much. I can’t complain, everything is going pretty well as of now.”</p>
<p>“Lou, I’m so sorry about your Mum.” Harry says softly. </p>
<p>“Thanks H, she always loved you.”</p>
<p>Harry nods, “A good one, Jay was.”</p>
<p>Louis nods. “Alright, let’s not get too sad. This is exciting, and I’m sure Mum would want us to enjoy ourselves.”</p>
<p>“Of course, yeah.” Harry nods. A moment passes by, then Harry asks “Oh, how’s Hannah, by the way?”</p>
<p>Louis laughs dryly, “Well, we broke up right in the beginning of uni, we don’t really talk much anymore.”</p>
<p>“Ouch, sorry Lou.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be, it’s alright.” Louis nods.</p>
<p>The waitress brings a bottle of wine, already opened, along with two glasses, and both Harry and Louis thank her. Louis grabs the bottle and pours a bit into each of their glasses. </p>
<p>“Cheers.”</p>
<p>Louis and Harry clink their glasses together gently and take a sip. </p>
<p>“How long has it been since we really talked to each other?” Harry asks. </p>
<p>“God, too long. Not since the end of high school, I don’t think. And it’s been almost ten years since then.” Louis sighs. </p>
<p>“Wow… Lou, I’m so sorry for not keeping in touch.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be sorry, I should’ve reached out more often. But life gets in the way, you know. We’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”</p>
<p>Harry smiles, “Right. Hey, speaking of high school, do you know if Perrie and Zayn are still a thing?”</p>
<p>Louis laughs, “God, Haz. Have I got a story for you.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Do tell.” Harry says, taking another sip of wine, eyes focused on Louis. </p>
<p>“Well, Z and Perrie were obviously the ‘it’ couple, everyone knows. I mean, even the staff at the diner down the street from school knew their relationship as well as we all did. So anyway, they ended up staying together through the first couple years of uni and decided to get married! Can you believe?”</p>
<p>Harry’s eyes widen, nodding in encouragement for Louis to continue the story. </p>
<p>“They moved off campus for their third year together and bought an apartment. Zayn was selling his original artwork on the side and Perrie was bartending when she wasn’t in classes, so they had enough money between them for a while. But Zayn stopped the art thing for a bit because school got really busy. The two fought a lot because of their money problems since they obviously couldn’t live off of Perrie’s bartending salary forever. Then, get this, one night during a huge fight, they both ended up admitting they were falling for other people. Zayn told Perrie he had major feelings for Liam, who I’m sure you remember from high school, he went to the same uni as Z and Perrie. And Perrie told Zayn she had been talking to a girl named Leigh Anne she met at work. So they divorced, sold the apartment, and went their separate ways as a couple. They still talk, though. They go on double dates. And of course they do still care a lot about each other on a best friend level. Zayn and Liam moved back to town recently, bought a cute little house and are working on fixing it up together.”</p>
<p>Harry’s lips curl into a smile, “Now that’s a story. How do you know all of this? I assume Perrie and Zayn are gay?”</p>
<p>Louis shrugs, “Zayn stayed with me for a bit of time while he was going through the divorce with Perrie. He told me the real story, because a lot of rumors were going around and he didn’t want me to get a false image of him. Which I never would, but you know how Zayn is. They’re both bisexual, actually.”</p>
<p>“Wow, and everyone thought they would be the forever couple. It’s crazy how much changes once high school ends.” Harry sighs. “I’m glad they’re doing better though, it’s nice they’re still friends.” Harry lets out a soft sigh, “God, I wish I kept in contact with everyone. I just needed to get away from everything and start fresh, which I guess I thought meant cutting contact with everyone, even the important people, like you, and the rest of the guys of course.”</p>
<p>Louis opens his mouth to speak, but the waitress comes back and is ready to take their orders. Almost as if it’s an instinct, Harry orders the spaghetti and meatballs, and Louis orders the chicken parmesan. It’s so normal, so familiar.</p>
<p>Louis decides to rip the bandaid off, “So, Harry, how about you. Any relationships?”</p>
<p>“Well, erm, not really. A couple of boyfriends, but nothing really that long or intense.” </p>
<p>Louis smiles at the word ‘boyfriends’. </p>
<p>“Yeah?” Louis takes a sip of wine, peering at Harry over the edge of his glass. </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Harry smiles, “have you dated anyone since Hannah?”</p>
<p>Louis blushes, setting his wine glass down, “Uhm, well, I did have one partner for about two years when I first started to teach, we broke up though. Just kinda fizzled out, I guess. No one since him, though. I’ve been quite busy with work and haven’t had much time to really explore the dating scene.”</p>
<p>Harry smiles, “Partner.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, partner,” Louis confirms.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s uh, kinda why I broke up with Hannah.”</p>
<p>Harry’s lips form an ‘o’ shape. Louis smiles, “Don’t act so shocked.”</p>
<p>“Not shocked, just makes sense now.”</p>
<p>“Makes sense why you ignored the attention from all the girls at school now.” Louis laughs.</p>
<p>Harry giggles, “Well, yeah, I wanted attention from a boy who I didn’t think wanted me.”</p>
<p>“Do tell,” Louis swirls his wine around a bit before bringing the glass to his lips. </p>
<p>“Nooo!” Harry half yells, voice going higher. </p>
<p>“Fine, fine. I won’t press.”</p>
<p>“He was really fit though, still is.”</p>
<p>Louis raises his eyebrows, “You’ve talked to him?”</p>
<p>“Quite recently, yeah.” Harry smirks. </p>
<p>“I thought you cut ties with everyone.” Louis’ eyebrows raise further, but Harry downs his wine and reaches for the bottle to refill his glass. </p>
<p>“So, Lou. Not to get all personal, but when did you know?” Harry changes the subject. </p>
<p>Louis raises his eyebrows, but begins to talk. “I haven’t told this story in a while, wow.” Louis scratches the back of his neck. “Uh, well… it did start in high school. I started to get feelings for someone, a boy, who I was really close to, but I wasn’t really sure if I was… allowed, for lack of a better term I guess, to actually be with a boy. A lot of people said Hannah liked me, she asked me out and for some reason I said yes, which you obviously know. I guess I wasn’t completely sure if I was gay, I thought maybe I was just confusing myself. So, I dated Hannah for a bit. She really was wonderful as a person but I just couldn’t keep her in a relationship that I wasn’t fully invested in. So, we broke up, but by that time the boy I liked had gotten away from me. Hannah was understanding and really kind and sweet when I told her why I wanted to break up, but we did lose touch after uni. So, yeah. Here I am, all these years later.”</p>
<p>“Who was the boy?” Harry asks, elbows on the table and leaning forward slightly. </p>
<p>“Oh no, Styles. You didn’t tell me about your dream boy, so you don’t get to hear mine.” Louis shakes his head. </p>
<p>“Fine, fine.” Harry holds his hands up in defense. “Maybe a bit later in the night I’ll spill the beans.”</p>
<p>“If you want,” Louis says. “So, you heard my glorious story, what’s yours, Styles?”</p>
<p>Harry smiles. “Uni. I missed someone back home more than anything and I couldn’t figure out why I missed him more than I missed my own mother. Turns out I had major feelings, he was living his life though, so I let go. Very simple, I still think about him.”</p>
<p>“Sounds very important to you.” Louis says, slightly crushed to think about Harry loving someone else. </p>
<p>“Yeah, he is.” Harry smiles, and Louis’ stomach flips. </p>
<p>The waitress brings out their food, and suddenly Louis realizes just how hungry he is.</p>
<p>He looks up at Harry for a moment, who has already been looking at him with a soft smile on his face. </p>
<p>“What?” Louis asks curiously before slipping a piece of chicken parm into his mouth. </p>
<p>Harry shakes his head, twisting his fork around the bowl of pasta and bringing a forkful up to his mouth. </p>
<p>Louis cuts his chicken parm in half, putting one half on a small appetizer plate that was left on the table. He slides it over to Harry, whose smile grows ten times wider. </p>
<p>“Give me your plate.” Harry motions to Louis to bring his plate forward. </p>
<p>Louis lifts his plate, and Harry piles some pasta next to the chicken parm. </p>
<p>“Thanks love.” Louis tenses a bit, afraid to look up at Harry to see his reaction to the accidental nickname.</p>
<p>“No problem, darling.”</p>
<p>Louis’ face scrunches up in endearment. Focusing back on the food in front of him, Louis twists his fork into the small noodle pile, gathering some onto his fork and taking a bite. </p>
<p>“Almost ten years later and the food is still just as incredible as I remember it.” Louis comments.</p>
<p>Harry nods in agreement. “Maybe even better now.”</p>
<p>“Think so?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Harry looks up at Louis and smiles, “I do.”</p>
<p>Louis blushes, looking down at his food and trying to ignore the confusing stares from Harry. The two finish their food without saying another word, the buzz of the restaurant and the busy sidewalk outside enough to distract from the silence between them. Harry smiles at Louis as he sets his fork and knife on his plate. </p>
<p>“You’re staring.” Louis says, wiping the corners of his mouth with his napkin. </p>
<p>“Am not.”</p>
<p>“Were so. You’re acting a bit weird.”</p>
<p>Harry shakes his head, “Just thinking about high school. I really do feel awful for not reaching out and staying in contact with you. You were one of my best friends, still are in all honesty, and I feel like I let you down in a way.”</p>
<p>Louis’ lips curl into a slight smile, “It’s okay, you had to find yourself. I could never stay mad at you for doing that.”</p>
<p>Harry reaches across the table and takes Louis’ hands in his own. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Louis smiles, squeezing Harry’s hands reassuringly. </p>
<p>“You look like you want to say something.” Louis says. </p>
<p>“The guy… the one who I couldn’t stop thinking about in uni?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“He-”</p>
<p>The waitress returns and takes their plates, “Any dessert?”</p>
<p>Louis and Harry quickly exchange a glance before Louis speaks, “The chocolate cake.”</p>
<p>The waitress nods and walks away from the table.</p>
<p>“You were saying?” Louis turns his focus back onto Harry. </p>
<p>“Nevermind.” Harry takes his hands away from Louis’ and looks down at the table. </p>
<p>“Haz.” Louis says quietly. “Look at me please.”</p>
<p>Harry looks up at Louis, who reaches for his hands and holds them tightly. “You don’t have to talk about it, but just know I’m willing to listen if you want, yeah?”</p>
<p>Although it breaks Louis’ heart to think of Harry loving someone else, he can’t help but smile when Harry’s lips turn into a slight smile. </p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>The waitress returns with a piece of cake, “Enjoy.”</p>
<p>Louis grabs his dessert fork, taking a forkful of cake and holding it out for Harry, who hesitantly leans forward and takes it, eyes on Louis the entire time as he wraps his lips around the cake and leans back in his seat. </p>
<p>“Amazing.” Harry says with a mouthful of cake. </p>
<p>Louis takes some for himself, sighing in contentment. </p>
<p>They finish the cake together in silence, Harry topping off their wine and glancing at Louis every now and then with big eyes. </p>
<p>“Anything else tonight?” The waitress smiles at the two. </p>
<p>“Just the check please.” Louis says, the waitress nodding and walking off. </p>
<p>Harry finishes off his wine, setting the glass down and smiling at Louis. “This was so lovely.”</p>
<p>Louis nods, “Yeah, it was. We should definitely do this again.”</p>
<p>The waitress comes back with the check, setting it on the table and smiling at the two before going to the next table. </p>
<p>The two take out their wallets, each setting down their cards. </p>
<p>“Lou, please.” Harry says. </p>
<p>“Harold, come on now. I insist.”</p>
<p>“Split it and call it even?” Harry offers.</p>
<p>“Deal.” </p>
<p>When the waitress returns, Harry tells her to split the bill between their cards. Louis watches his mouth move the whole time, his lips forming each word carefully and delicately. </p>
<p>“Lou, you alright?”</p>
<p>Louis blinks back to reality, offering Harry a small smile.</p>
<p>Louis can feel tension hanging in the air. Not necessarily bad tension, but tension. He opens his mouth to speak, but the waitress returns with their cards. </p>
<p>“Enjoy your night, it was a pleasure serving you.” She says sincerely. </p>
<p>While Harry is bidding the waitress a goodnight, Louis takes out cash and leaves a tip on the table. Harry turns his attention back and frowns a bit. </p>
<p>It might be the wine, but Louis can’t stop himself from talking, “You can get the tip next time, babe.”</p>
<p>Harry’s cheeks flush and he bites his lip as he stands from his seat and offers his hand to Louis. Louis takes it and the two leave the restaurant, standing out front for a few moments just staring at each other. </p>
<p>“So, next time?” Harry asks. </p>
<p>“If you’d like a next time.” Louis says. </p>
<p>Harry nods, “Would love to have a next time.”</p>
<p>Louis digs his hands into his pockets, looking up at Harry. His eyes twinkle under the fairy lights strung outside of the restaurant. Harry’s lips are slightly red from the wine and from biting them, and Louis wants to kiss them desperately. </p>
<p>“I had a really nice time tonight.” Harry says in a low, husky voice, which makes Louis melt completely.</p>
<p>He giggles, “Me too.”</p>
<p>“Lou?” Harry steps closer. He carefully rests his hands on Louis’ waist, pulling him a bit closer when Louis doesn’t resist.</p>
<p>Louis’ breath catches in his throat. He stands on his toes slightly and places his hands on Harry’s shoulders and leans in, resting his forehead against Harry’s. </p>
<p>“The boy, the one I realized I loved in uni…” Harry trails off, so Louis takes the chance to close the space between their mouths. </p>
<p>He lets out a deep sigh as his fingers play with the strands of hair at the nape of Harry’s neck, Harry pulling Louis closer to his chest. </p>
<p>Harry pulls back, eyes wide. “Wow.”</p>
<p>Louis laughs and lays his head on Harry’s chest. “So, who was your boy?” Louis asks softly. </p>
<p>Harry lets out a giggle, “I hope you’re joking.”</p>
<p>“I am, I am. You were my boy, too. My high school one, I mean.”</p>
<p>“I’d like to be your now boy.” Harry whispers as he kisses the top of Louis’ head and wraps his arms around Louis’ small body. </p>
<p>“I’d like that too.” Louis looks up at Harry, leaning up to kiss him again.</p>
<p>He’s kissing his boy, in front of their Italian restaurant, and nothing has ever felt better than it has at this moment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading :)) !! you can find me on tumblr, @hsmp3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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